Tag Archives: Clinton

U.S. Urges Political Reform in ME / U.S. Sends Aid to New Zealand / Technology for the Poor

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The United States urges Middle Eastern countries to work toward political reform in response to protests across the region. The U.S. is also sending aid to New Zealand after it was struck by a powerful earthquake. Finances ministers met at the G20 summit in Paris to discuss ways to prevent another financial crisis. And we’ve got a pair of stories on how new inventions can help the world’s poor.

Political Reform in the Middle East
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The United States urges Middle Eastern countries to take concrete action and work toward political reform in response to protests across the region, says Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Clinton, right, welcomes the process for a new Tunisia and for a new Egypt, and says the United States “will continue to be a supportive partner to the peoples of both countries as they seek a better future.”

U.S. Rushing Aid to New Zealand
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A U.S. disaster assistance team and a specially trained urban search and rescue team are being sent to help New Zealand officials in the aftermath of a magnitude 6.3 earthquake that struck near Christchurch February 22. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says she is “deeply saddened by the news that a second major earthquake in six months has struck Christchurch. On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I send our sincere condolences and sympathy to the people of New Zealand.”

A U.S.-Africa Partnership
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The commander of the U.S. Africa Command says an enhanced partnership between his command and 53 African nations is working to maintain regional stability. “What we do are things that our partners desire of us to do,” says Army General William “Kip” Ward.

Compromise at the G20 Summit
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Finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of 20 major economic powers met in Paris February 18–19 and worked on strategies to prevent another financial crisis.

Inventing to Help the Poor
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Many technology and entrepreneurship programs at U.S. universities are bringing together students and faculty from different departments to collaborate on designing low-cost, simple devices that address problems facing the world’s poor. At Right, the Q-drum for hauling water.

Spreading Low-Tech Solutions
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Low-tech breakthroughs have the potential to improve the lives of the world’s poor, but not without an efficient means of getting new products to people who need them. Government bureaucracy and other challenges have limited the impact of some low-tech devices.

Clinton on Afghanistan/ A New U.S. Representative to Afghanistan, Pakistan / America I AM

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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton outlines a three-point plan for Afghanistan. Veteran diplomat Marc Grossman will be President Obama’s new special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, succeeding the late Richard Holbrooke. In the U.S., the time might be just right for wind power. Volcanoes are currently a hot topic for the U.S. and Russia. And learn about American I AM, an exhibit showcasing the contributions of African Americans to life in the U.S.

In Afghanistan, a 3-Part Plan
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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the United States is following a three-part strategy to support transition in Afghanistan, a process through which Afghans will “take responsibility for their own future.” The plan, she says, includes a military offensive against al-Qaida terrorists and Taliban insurgents, a civilian campaign to bolster democratic institutions in Afghanistan and Pakistan and an intensified diplomatic push.

Grossman is New U.S. Af-Pak Rep
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Veteran diplomat Marc Grossman will be President Obama’s new special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, succeeding Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, who died in December. Speaking at the Asia Society in New York, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says Grossman “knows our allies and understands how to mobilize common action to meet shared challenges.”

Time for Wind Power
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The U.S. government is pushing for large-scale wind power development, and a recent study says that costs for electricity generated by onshore wind are now on par with costs for coal-generated power. President Obama has called for 80 percent of U.S. energy to come from renewable sources, such as wind power, by 2035.

A Hot Topic for U.S., Russia
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Russian and U.S. scientists are planning research on a 4,000-kilometer long arc stretching from the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Russian Far East across the Aleutian Islands chain to mainland Alaska where volcanoes and other geological event have occurred. Dr. John Eichelberger, program coordinator of the U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Hazards Program, says that ongoing cooperative research between the United States and Russia in this field is vital.

Purple guitarAmerica I AM
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The exhibit America I AM: The African American Imprint looks at the contributions of African Americans to life in the United States and recently came to the National Geographic Museum in Washington for Black History Month. The exhibition presents multimedia displays and more than 200 historical and cultural artifacts, including the guitar at right, which the musician Prince played at the Super Bowl.

Obama on Mideast Unrest / Clinton on Internet Freedom / African American Visionaries

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President Obama urges Middle East governments to respect the aspirations of their people. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton returns to the subject of Internet freedom. The United States and Ukraine agree on human trafficking and other issues. Finally, explore a photo gallery of some African American “visionaries.”

Obama Urges Mideast Reform
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The political unrest that has spread from Tunisia to Egypt and elsewhere in the region comes as young people are seeking greater opportunities and ways of improving their lives, President Obama says. Obama urges governments in the region to “get out ahead of change,” and respond to their peoples’ aspirations in a manner that doesn’t lead to violence. “You can’t maintain power through coercion. At some level in any society, there has to be consent,” he says.

 
 
Secretary Clinton on Internet Freedom
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An open, secure Internet that is accessible to all is crucial to economic prosperity, says Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in a speech at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The struggle for Internet freedom is a struggle for human rights, human freedom and human dignity, says Clinton.

Wide Ranging U.S.-Ukraine Talks
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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Gryshchenko sign a new cooperative plan to combat human trafficking in the Ukraine, and a plan to strengthen the East European nation’s energy security. Also discussed during their meeting: cooperation on nuclear proliferation, Ukraine’s efforts to strengthen its democracy, food security, HIV/AIDS, and ways for Ukraine to develop domestic energy resources and attract greater private investment.

Dorothy HeightVisionaries: African Americans Tell Their Stories
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For nearly a decade, the nonprofit National Visionary Leadership Project collected the oral histories of extraordinary African-Americans who helped shape America’s culture and history. This photo gallery takes a look at some of them. At left, the late civil rights activist Dorothy Height.

Calls for Calm in Egypt / Obama’s Agenda / When Trust is a Must

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The U.S. calls for calm in unrest-torn Egypt and urges governments in the Middle East and North Africa to engage with protesters. Obama’s newly minted agenda for 2011 America will require the backing of Congress. Financial companies need the public’s trust.

Close-up of Secretary Clinton

Democracy in Egypt
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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urges an orderly and peaceful transition to democratic and economic reforms in Egypt, but also acknowledges that it will take considerable time. In a series of television news interviews, Clinton, above, said that violence, looting or criminal acts will not move the political process forward in a productive way that will be satisfying for the Egyptian people.

U.S. Calls for Calm in Egypt
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The Obama administration calls on the Egyptian government to restrain its security personnel and on anti-government protesters to express themselves peacefully as it continues to monitor the country through its fourth consecutive day of political unrest. “These protests underscore that there are deep grievances within Egyptian society, and the Egyptian government needs to understand that violence will not make these grievances go away,” says Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

U.S. Urges Engagement with Mideast Protesters
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The Obama administration urges governments in the Middle East and North Africa to “actively respond” to the concerns of younger populations who are voicing their protests in the streets. 

Obama’s Agenda Need Support on Capitol Hill
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In his State of the Union President Obama called for new investments in education, infrastructure and technology, among other items, but his plans will go nowhere without backing on Capitol Hill. Spending and other economic issues will likely dominate the first few months of the new Congress, two former representatives tell participants in a U.S. Department of State digital video conference.

Companies Bank on Trust
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Reports of excessive executive compensations, greed, irresponsible risk-taking and a lack of transparency have amounted to the greatest challenge to financial companies’ credibility in years. It has also been a wake-up call to companies in all sectors.

Clinton on U.S.-China Relations / Locke on U.S.-China Trade / Martin Luther King Jr.

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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the United States and China are at a key junction in shaping the future of their bilateral relationship. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke says trade should play a key role in that relationship. The president-elect of Côte d’Ivoire seeks peace. Freedom House issues its annual report. Remember the Rev. Martin Luther King with this photo gallery.

The U.S.-China Relationship
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The United States and China are at “a critical juncture,” and will need to pursue wise policies and be honest about their differences in order to keep their bilateral relationship “on a positive trajectory,” says Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Three decades after establishing bilateral relations, “our economies are entwined and so are our futures,” says Clinton, right.

Enhancing U.S.-China Trade
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 Commerce Secretary Gary Locke calls on the Chinese government to create a more equitable commercial relationship with the United States to foster business and industrial growth for both nations. Locke called for steps to enhance the U.S.-China commercial relationship which he called “perhaps the most important bilateral trading relationship in the world.”

A Call for Côte d’Ivoire Peace
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Alassane Ouattara, the president-elect of Côte d’Ivoire, says he does not want a civil war in his country. “It is not only the 54% who voted for me, but I am also the president of the 45% who did not vote for me. So obviously, I do not want bloodshed,” says Outtara.

A Decline in Free Countries
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The number of free countries suffered its fifth consecutive year of decline in 2010, says Freedom House, an independent watchdog organization, which blamed bolder authoritarian regimes and inadequate resistance from democratic countries for the decline.

King with President Lyndon Johnson as he signs the Civil Rights ActPhoto Gallery: The Life and Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
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Martin Luther King Jr. dedicated his life to the nonviolent struggle for racial equality in the United States. January 17, 2011, marks the 25th anniversary of Martin Luther King Day, a federal holiday that honors King’s legacy and challenges citizens to engage in volunteer service in their communities. Visit this photo gallery to learn more about Dr. King’s Life and work. At right, King attends the 1964 signing of the Civil Rights Act into federal law by President Lyndon Johnson.

Belarus Shuts OSCE Office / More Flood Relief for Pakistan / One-on-One in Algeriea

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The United States and the European Union “regret” the closing of an OSCE office in Belarus. A key U.S. diplomat discusses relations between the United States and Latin America. More U.S. aid is headed to Pakistan for flood relief. Rotary Clubs take their commitment to service global. And, in Algeria, hoop dreams are coming true.

A Shuttered OSCE Office
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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and European Union High Representative Catherine Ashton say they “regret the decision by the government of Belarus” to close the mission in Minsk of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. In a statement, Clinton and Ashton say the mission in Minsk is “not complete, as the OSCE’s critical assessment of the presidential elections indicates.”

U.S.-Latin American Relations
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Assistant Secretary of State Arturo Valenzuela says the U.S.-Latin American relationship is moving in a positive and constructive direction. “Achieving that objective has required an important shift in the conduct of U.S. foreign policy,” Valenzuela says.


$190 Million in New Flood Aid for Pakistan
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The United States is providing an additional $190 million to Pakistan for flood recovery efforts. Frank Ruggiero, acting special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, says the money “demonstrates the commitment of the United States to a comprehensive, long-term partnership with the people and government of Pakistan.”

Rotary Clubs Help in Cambodia
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Rotary clubs in the United States, Cambodia, Australia and Canada are working to help more than 15,000 people in 18 rural villages in central Cambodia.


Going One-on-One in Algeria
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Americans and Algerians are sharing their interest in basketball through a newly launched program in Algiers called One on One Basketball. Left, an Algerian player waits to receive an award next to Arthur Jackson, the program’s president.

Obama, Clinton Most Admired / Water, From the Makers of Coke / The Muslim World’s Diversity

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President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton are the most admired man and woman, a new poll shows. In America, billionaires are giving away the bulk of their fortunes. The world’s largest soda maker is working on water projects in Africa. And an American photographer captures diversity in the Muslim world.

Obama, Clinton Most Admired
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For the third year in a row, a USA Today – Gallup poll has found that Barack Obama is the most admired male public figure. The most admired woman is Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who has held the title 15 times since 1992. The survey was conducted between December 10-12, and is based on telephone interviews with a random sample of 1,019 adults. Participants were asked to name the man and woman living anywhere in the world they most admired.

A Billionaires’ Pledge 
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The two richest men in the United States, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, launched The Giving Pledge in June 2010, encouraging other billionaires, in the United States and abroad, to give away the bulk of their fortunes to philanthropic causes. As of December 2010, 57 billionaires have joined their campaign.

Coca-Cola’s Water Projects
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Cola-Cola Company, the world’s largest beverage maker, has formed a partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.N. Development Programme to launch or expand water projects in eight African countries. The World Health Organization estimates that 1.1 billion people—including more than 300 million Africans—do not have access to clean water.

Photo Gallery: The Diversity of the Muslim World
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American photographer Derek Brown, whose work has been featured in The Economist and other major publications, traveled to 28 countries for more than 18 months to photograph the diversity of the Muslim world. An exhibit of his work at the cafe Busboys and Poets in Washington drew raves. Andy Shallal, an Iraqi American and the owner of Busboys and Poets noted, “It makes people realize the Muslim world is beyond the Middle East — it’s far beyond that.”

The Late Richard Holbrooke / Hope on Human Rights / AIDS and Disabilities

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Diplomat Richard Holbrooke is remembered as a giant of foreign policy. A top U.S. State Department official says there is hope for human rights gains. The U.S. is partnering with South Africa to fight AIDS and with Canada and Mexico to help Haiti tackle an “almost overwhelming” set of challenges. And finally, activists are working to help the disabled deal with HIV/AIDS.

Remembering Richard Holbrooke
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Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, who died December 13 in Washington, is remembered as a consummate diplomat, statesman and troubleshooter for the United States for nearly 50 years. He served in many diplomatic posts over the years, but will likely be best remembered for his role in negotiating the 1995 Dayton Peace Accords, which ended the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina.


Hope on Human Rights
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As 2010 comes to a close and much of the free world concludes commemorations of the 62nd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Michael Posner, assistant secretary for the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, shares his views in an interview with America.gov regarding current conditions for human rights.

Partnering Against AIDS
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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton signs a five-year joint strategic plan with her South African counterpart on bilateral cooperation under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. In remarks with Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane at the State Department, Clinton says the United States wants to be “a good partner” with South Africa as it confronts HIV/AIDS.

Clinton Seeks Help for Haiti
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U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton joins her Canadian and Mexican counterparts in calling for international cooperation to help Haiti tackle an “almost overwhelming” set of challenges. Clinton said the country’s disputed parliamentary election in November has added to the difficulties Haiti faces in recovering from a devastating earthquake and an ongoing cholera epidemic.

HIV/AIDS and Disabilities
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Rosangela Berman Bieler is a Brazilian journalist and one of a growing number of health activists trying to give persons with disabilities better access to HIV/AIDS services. Her group, the Inter-American Institute on Disability and Inclusive Development, works with governments in Latin America, the Caribbean and Portuguese-speaking Africa. Bieler, right, with Agnes Atim of Uganda, both of whom spoke at a State Department conference.

Clinton in Central Asia / Elections in Cote d’Ivoire / Good News for Polar Bears

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In Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan has a new parliamentary democracy and Kazakhstan is emerging as a force. The U.S. says that the provisional results of Cote d’Ivoire’s election should stand. Iran has an opportunity to improve relations with the international community. The top U.S. negotiator calls for ratification of START. Entrepreneurs are needed to lead economic growth in Africa. And, finally, the U.S. is moving to protect the habitat of Alaskan polar bears.

Democracy in Kyrgyzstan
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton visited Kyrgyzstan and praised the country’s new parliamentary democracy and the quality of recent national elections. “This is a country that has been through a great deal of change and upheaval … however, the elections show that the people of Kyrgyzstan want to resolve disputes peacefully through politics, not violence,” Clinton, at right with Kyrgyz President Roza Otunbayeva, said.


An Emerging Kazakhstan
Hosting the first summit in 11 years of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe highlights Kazakhstan’s emergence as a force in Central Asia, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says. “As the first former Soviet Republic to lead the OSCE as an independent nation, Kazakhstan has helped to focus attention on Central Asia’s challenges, as well as its many opportunities,” says Clinton.

Cote d’Ivoire Election Results
The provisional results of the second round of presidential elections in Cote d’Ivoire show opposition candidate Alassane Ouattara as the victor with 54.1 percent of the vote. These results are a “victory for the Ivorian people” and should stand, says U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs William Fitzgerald.

An Opportunity for Iran
U.S. officials are welcoming Iran’s agreement to hold talks about its nuclear program December 6-7, and say there is still room for Iran to build confidence with the international community. In Kazakhstan, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the meetings offer Iran “an opportunity … to come to the table and discuss the matters that are of concern to the international community,” principally its nuclear program.

A Call for START Ratification
In an op-ed published in the December 1 edition of The Hill, Rose Gottemoeller, assistant secretary of state for arms control, verification and compliance and chief U.S. negotiator of the New START Treaty, calls on the Senate to ratify the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty so the United States can “get back to work with Russia.”

Economic Growth in Africa
As Africa takes its place on the world business stage, entrepreneurs must be ready to play leading roles. Murray Low, director of the Eugene Lang Entrepreneurship Center at the Columbia University Business School, says Africa has “huge business opportunities” and as such, “people are now figuring out how to tap those opportunities.”

Good News For Polar Bears
The U.S. government has designated an area larger than the state of California as “critical” polar bear habitat, a move aimed at protecting the threatened  animals from impacts of climate change. The rapid increase in man-made greenhouse gas emissions has accelerated the melting of sea ice, on which polar bears depend to mate, hunt for food, and raise their cubs.

Mideast Talks, Aid for Pakistan, Dirt Bike Diplomacy

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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton opens a new round of Middle East Peace talks at the State Department and releases a video seeking donations to the Pakistan Relief Fund. A U.S. program is saving energy by weatherizing hundreds of thousands of homes. And dirt bikes bring together a pair of champion riders, one from the U.S. and one from Iran.

Clinton Opens Mideast Peace Talks
Secretary Clinton opened direct Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, telling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that “only you can make the decisions necessary to reach an agreement and secure a peaceful future for the Israeli and Palestinian people.”

[video href="http://www.america.gov/multimedia/video.html?videoId=601995420001"]

Secretary Clinton Urges Citizens to Give to Pakistan Relief Fund
State Department Reaches Americans, World via Television and Radio
As the scope of the devastation inflicted by the flooding in Pakistan becomes ever more evident, the United States is promoting new ways for citizens to join the effort to help flood victims. In television and radio public service announcements, Clinton encourages Americans to donate to the Pakistan Relief Fund. Created by the U.S. State Department, the fund is meant to raise the profile of Pakistan’s needs to donors around the world whose generosity can help.

Weatherizing U.S. Homes
A $5 billion U.S. program to weatherize the nation’s leaky homes is now upgrading 25,000 homes a month. So far, one-third of the 600,000 homes scheduled to be weatherized have been completed under the program funded by the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. 

A Friendship of Champions
Noora Moghaddas, the first Iranian women’s motocross champion, and Ashley Fiolek, the two-time American champ, formed a friendship based on their passion for off-road motorcycle riding.
Recently, Moghaddas, right, visited the Fiolek, left, in the United States.